Travel Tips

Here are some of my favorite posts with general travel tips from how to pack your backpack to what it’s really like to travel the world as a solo female! Don’t forget to check out my Travel Guides for country specific information on things like transportation, social etiquette and more! What to Pack“What To Pack For A Year of Travel”I confess I am a “take everything but the kitchen sink” type of traveler. The first time I visited Europe I brought a huge duffel bag with wheels in addition to a large backpack. After three and a half weeks of lugging my belongings up spiral hostel staircases and down narrow cobblestone streets I realized I never wanted to travel this way again…continue reading.

Planning a Budget“How To Travel The World On A Budget”Okay. So you’ve done the research, you’ve read the blogs, the guidebooks, gotten your vaccinations, and new passport picture. You’ve even asked your boss for time off or maybe even (gasp!) quit your job. Now what?continue reading.

“Sticking To My Travel Budget”In two weeks I’ll be in Mexico. A month later I’ll be in Paris, a destination I’ve coveted for a long time. Whether it’s riding crowded chicken buses in Mexico or eating cheese and ham sandwiches in France, I’ll have to find the balance between traveling like a pauper and a prince…continue reading.

Solo Female Travel“About This Solo Female Travel Thing”I’ve been traveling alone for five months now and the more I read and write, the more I experience, the more I realize that what I am doing is not unique or particular. Women all over the world are traveling on their own seeking adventure and authentic lifestyles…continue reading.

“It Happened To Me”Sexual assault against women is something that’s talked about often but perhaps not often enough because it still happens…continue reading.“Fear Mongering” Fear cripples us but it also gives us a false sense of control. It teaches us to believe that we are responsible for our own protection and safety and that if we follow a strict set of rules then it won’t happen to us….continue reading.

Volunteering and Couch Surfing“Ladies: How to Stay Safe While Couch Surfing (And Have a Good Time)!With thousands of hosts willing to let weary travelers sleep on their couch, sometimes it’s hard to choose where to stay. Especially if you’re a solo female traveler. Especially since the majority of hosts tend to be men. It can be intimidating to invite yourself to stay in a stranger’s home, even more so if you’re doing so alone. You might be wondering how to stay safe while couch surfing, or if it’s even possible…continue reading.“Why Couch Surfing Sucks”Couch surfing is a lot of work. It takes hours of research and planning ahead. It requires you to overcome language and cultural roadblocks and to present yourself as a worthy guest in spite of feeling exhausted and disgusting from too many days without a shower…continue reading.

“What Workaway Can Do For You” Through my Workaway experiences I was welcomed with open arms into families, celebrated weddings and funerals, discovered sand dunes and castles, ate succulent meals around a table, and sang around a crackling fireplace. I weeded rose gardens, fluffed bed sheets, built raised garden beds and shoveled compost. I painted walls and ceilings and curbs, bandaged wounds and taught English grammar…continue reading.

Travel Like A Local“Why NOT To Buy A Eurail Pass”Not only does carpooling save the environment and your pocketbook, it puts you in touch with locals and can be more comfortable than sitting on a train for hours…continue reading. “How To Travel Like A Local”
I haven’t made a bucket list of top attractions and I could care less about tourist destinations. What I’m really looking for are the nooks and crannies, the hidden gems found in narrow alleyways; a window into the way people think, feel, and live…continue reading.

“Why you SHOULD Ride the Chicken Bus”
My adventurous younger sister shares her experiences about riding the chicken bus in Guatemala and how it became one of her favorite ways to interact with locals. Sometimes we receive bad advice from people who are trying to protect us–she argues for why sometimes we need to bravely try new things anyway! continue reading…

“What’s Your Travel Style?”As I approach seven months on the road, I’ve been thinking a lot about my travel style and how it’s evolved. The truth is, even though long-term travel has been my dream for years, the reality is different than I imagined…continue reading.

“Long term Travel Fatigue” One of the things few people address in the travel blogging world is the fatigue that comes from constantly being on the go. It takes a certain energy and stamina to be a wanderer and sometimes it’s time to rest. It’s time to go home or stay in one place for awhile…continue reading.

I hope these tips are helpful for you in planning your own journey! What other tips would be good to know? Please don’t hesitate to shoot me an email over at thebarefootbeat@gmail.com if you have any questions about planning a ’round the world trip or what it’s really like to travel long-term! Also, feel free to leave your comments below. I’d love to hear about your own journey!

This is a really good resource for people who love to travel. I did sort of what you did, except I carried a laptop and worked on amazon mturk for money and traveled the United States. That’s how I came into this site. I was told to write a blog about what I was doing but said there was ones up already that were going to be 100 times better then I could ever do. Yours right here is a prime example.

I got hemmed up in Las Vegas when I decided I wanted to help the homeless that were there because it broke my heart. I would sit outside of Viva Las Vegas Mcdonalds and work on my laptop and buy food for those who really needed some sort of pick me up.

I love traveling on the open road though, because you never know what you’re going to eat, what’s going to happen to you or what kind of story is going to come out. It’s nice to see other people doing what they want to do and love. Keep it up and stay safe!

Wow, Chris! Sounds like you’re on your own adventure! Are you still hanging out in California? Thanks for your kind words and tender heart. Glad you are also following your dreams 🙂Mariah recently posted…A Million Years

About Me

Hello! I'm Mariah. I'm a seeker of contentment, yet a tireless wanderer full of wonder. I like to cook homemade curry, travel the world, and write about things like social justice and community. It’s my goal every day to learn and love with abandon. Join me on the journey!